Sample Images & Verdict

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Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

200

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/4.0

Exposure

1/1600s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

800

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/1.8

Exposure

1/3200s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

400

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/5.6

Exposure

1/1000s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

200

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/7.1

Exposure

1/320s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

200

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/1.8

Exposure

1/3200s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

160

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/2.2

Exposure

1/4000s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

160

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/2.2

Exposure

1/4000s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

160

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/4.0

Exposure

1/1600s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

160

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/4.0

Exposure

1/800s

Make

Panasonic

Model

DMC-GX1

ISO Speed

160

Focal Length

75.0mm

Aperture:

f/1.8

Exposure

1/3200s

Verdict

The Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 ED is, by quite a margin, the best micro-four-thirds lens that we have tested to date. It is ultra-sharp straight from f/1.8 and in fact, it is basically diffraction-limited so stopping down doesn't really improve the image quality anymore. The amount of lateral CAs is also very low which contributes to the high sharpness perception. There's a bit of vignetting at fully open aperture (more so in RAW mode) but usually this is nothing to worry about. Distortions are next to absent as well. The quality of the bokeh is also among the very best that we've seen so far - regardless of the system. That said you can spot some bokeh fringing at large aperture so there is still a slight space for improvement to optical perfection.

Mechanically the lens is up to pro standards thanks to a tightly assembled metal body and a smooth focus ring. If you are nit-picky you may criticize the lack of weather sealing though. The AF is impressively fast and silent. Olympus claims that the AF is smooth enough for movies as well but more serious users will probably prefer to stick to manual focusing - which works quite nicely as well actually.